[NEohioPAL]Berko Review: AGNES OF GOD at Beck Center

[Roy Berko]

THOUGHT PROVOKING ‘AGNES OF GOD’ ILLUMINATES BECK

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

Agnes, a 21-year old cloistered nun, gives birth in a
convent. The baby is found strangled and disposed of
in a wastepaper basket. Agnes remembers nothing about
the conception, pregnancy, birth or the murder. The
court has assigned Dr. Livingstone, a psychiatrist to
investigate.  A battle explodes between the protective
Mother Superior and Livingstone as they each try to
''save'' the disturbed nun.    This is the premise of
John Pielmeier’s dramatic mystery,  ‘AGNES OF GOD’
being staged at The Beck Center for The Arts.  

The play invokes questions of sanity, innocence and
spirituality.   It asks hard questions about faith and
gives no easy answers.   The author has stated that he
''offers a story of salvation and hope, [and] through
philosophical debate dangles in front of the audience
and characters the possibility of miracles.”  But, in
reality,  what does Pielmeir offer the audience?  
Dissecting the play still leads to head-scratching
among actors, directors, theologians, psychologists
and theatergoers years after its first production.

>From where did the concept for the play emerge?   The
author states, “Shortly after I moved to New York City
in 1977, I saw a headline that said “Nun Kills Baby.”
I didn’t buy the paper, and I didn’t read that
article, but it gave me the answer to a question that
I had been asking for a long time.  I had wanted to
write a play that dealt with, or that asked questions
about spirituality, about sanctity. I wanted to write
a play that explored the question: “Would a person who
was considered a saint in the 15th century be
considered a saint today? Or would he or she be locked
up in an institution?” 
 
The play, due to its subject matter, has not been
without controversy.   As a whole, the Catholic Church
never has made any sort of stand against it.  However,
when the national tour was going through Pennsylvania,
the Archbishop of Scranton said, “No, I don’t want
this play in the city.”  Other Catholics might feel
the same way.   This is not a settling tale and for
some, may put the church and the actions of the
seminary in a bad light. 

For the play to be successful there must be the
melding of a director who understand the intent of the
script and a superb cast.    The Beck production is
fortunate to have Seth Gordon as its conceiver.  The
production is well paced, is visually effective, and
uses sound and lighting well.


The intriguing three-woman cast features Sherri
Britton as Mother Miriam,  equity member Elizabeth Ann
Townsend as Martha Livingstone and Alicia Kahn as
Agnes. 

Britton is outstanding.  She is not only totally
believable in her portrayal, but she keys important
ideas so they become readily apparent.  For example,
she states, “What we’ve gained in logic, we’ve lost in
faith” with such conviction that the listener’s mind
slams on its brakes and ponders the profound concept.

Townsend is a fine actress.  Unfortunately, her first
act performance was hindered by the necessity to deal
with a constantly lit cigarette.   The use of the
cigarettes caused the timing and emphasis of some of
her lines, and her natural body movements,  to be
compromised.  In the second act, when she was sans
cigarettes she was brilliant!

Kahn’s performance is moving and entrancing.  She
didn’t portray Agnes, she was Agnes.  Her enactment of
the birth and death of her baby was captivating as was
her entire ethereal presence.  

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  Beck’s ‘AGNES OF GOD’ is one of
this season’s local theatre scenes’ highlight
productions!    Applause, applause, applause!

‘AGNES OF GOD’ runs in the Studio Theater of the  Beck
Center through May 2.  For tickets and information
call 216-521-2540 or go online to beckcenter.org.



	
		
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Photos: High-quality 4x6 digital prints for 25¢
http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/print_splash